Acclaimed poet Cornelius Eady offers not only a new selection of poems, but a knockout duet of poetry and music, performed with such literary and musical luminaries as Charlie Rauh, Joy Harjo, Kim Addonizio, Robin Messing, Emma Alabaster and longtime collaborator and producer Bernie Heveron.
Like his poetry, Eady’s songs offer a collective snapshot of the culture of our times, at once exhilarating and heartbreaking, seen through a lens that spares no dark corners. Eady’s focus turns as readily from an aging movie star to poet Adrienne Rich, a bed bug epidemic in NYC, and the shooting of Trayvon Martin. As fearless as his subject matter, Eady’s sonic range and stylistic resilience weave together strains of mainline jazz, Afro-Brazilian-Caribbean beats, rock and folk traditions, in a rich love song to life.
Cornelius Eady has published eight books of poetry, most recently Hardheaded Weather (Penguin, 2008). His works in poetry and musical drama have been awarded the Lamont Prize from the Academy of American Poets, Newsday’s Oppenheimer Award, and been a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in Drama. He is the recipient of the NEA Fellowship in Literature, a John Simon Guggenheim Fellowship in Poetry, a Lila Wallace-Readers Digest Traveling Fellowship, and a Rockefeller Foundation Fellowship. Eady is co-founder, with Toi Derricotte, of Cave Canem. This is his third combined publication of music and poetry.
Please note that this entire set of two volumes, chapbooks and CDs, sells for $16.00 (not sold separately). Postage (First Class shipping) reflects the weight of these four parts.
audio clip: Markin’ Time, words & music by Cornelius Eady, all rights reserved
Markin’ Time
I was walkin’ down Lonely Street
Checkin’ out the empty storefronts
When this woman walked up to me
She said “It’s heaven or it’s hell, and what’s the difference?This world ain’t gonna rhyme
It’s a big DEAD-END sign
You think you’re doing so fine
But you’re just markin’ time.”I said, “lady, it ain’t my fault,
This mess was around when I got here.”
Well, she looked me over from head to toe
Then run me down with a voice so clearShe said, “if I had a mop,
Well, I’d just wipe you up,
If I had a broom,
I’d sweep you out the room.”We were loitering on Lonely Street,
Two romantic fools at the oven’s door.
The sky overhead was billowing red,
Money and oil on the killing floor.She said “the authentic muse
Wears bright ballroom shoes.”
We tap danced down the street,
As the horns got ready to sound the retreat.Cornelius Eady, Guitar, Harmonica, Vocal
Marvin Sewell, Guitars
Emma Alabaster, Bass
